Heritage of Pride in New York hosts the largest gay pride in the world every year. Heritage is a non-profit organization that has made it its mission to produce pride events that will change the world. Heritage wants to peacefully protest in pride to change the future, making the world a place with no discrimination against homosexual, transgender, and queer people. Let’s not forget that pride is also meant for LGBTQ+ members so that we can celebrate who we are, as well as the changes that have already been made so far. We have a long way to go, but with Pride events as big as this one, we will continue to make a difference.
The first Heritage Gay Pride event, which stemmed from the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, was held one year later, in 1970. Since then, the pride events have marched down the streets of New York every year without fail. The Stonewall Uprising was all orientated around the police invasion of the club, which had become popular amongst the gay community. This triggered the start of many strikes, known as the Stonewall Riots, which soon became an uprising. 3 years after the first Pride march, homosexuality was no longer considered a mental illness, and then began a chain reaction of changes to not only New York but the entire globe.
Joining the Heritage Pride parade in New York will not only be an amazing day that you’ll remember till you die but also make you part of history. As we continue our pride, we continue to see change.
Largest Gay Pride Parade
The biggest gay pride parade to date was the São Paulo Gay Pride Parade, Brazil, with a whopping five million people in attendance in 2017. Organized by the APOGLBT since 1999, the parade has continued every year. São Paulo parade has received support from the federal government and mayors and still continues to today. The parade has security measures in place to maintain safety. There is usually little trouble, as people from all over unite here and celebrate being queer, while peacefully demanding more change for freedom – freedom to be who you were born to be, without hesitation and no repercussions for being considered ‘different.’ All through this event officially lasts for five days, the pride parties begin up to three weeks before, and continue long after!
If you are planning on experiencing the São Paulo Gay Pride Parade, we recommend booking your hotel for your stay far in advance. There are many gay hotels and LGBT-friendly bed and breakfast style hotels nearby too. Plus, São Paulo has plenty of gay bars to keep you dancing and grooving all night long.
We can only explain the atmosphere at this parade as indescribable. The feeling of the music rushing through your body. Millions of people dancing until the earth send vibrations through your feet and up your spine. Diversity at its finest as different types of people unite to celebrate the one thing they have in common; being queer!
Biggest Gay Pride Parade in the US
Aside from the New York parade we touched on earlier, San Francisco also hosts one of the world’s biggest pride parades and the biggest gay pride in the US. San Francisco pride happens every year in June. Starting from San Francisco’s Steuart Street, the parade usually begins around 10am and goes on until 4pm, with parties taking place all over San Francisco all night afterward! The first San Francisco pride happened in 1970 and was referred to as a ‘Gay Liberation March’ with just 20 to 30 people attending. Now, there are around a million people going to San Francisco Pride each year.
Can I bring my straight friends?
Of course! Many people often wonder if they can attend gay pride as a straight person. The answer is, yes, you can. You don’t have to be queer to celebrate the changes happening to make our world a more accepting and loving place!
What do People Wear?
Honestly, whatever the hell they want! Unapologetically too! It’s traditional to wear bright colors that represent the pride flag. We recommend wearing the brightest and shiniest thing you can find.
When was the first ever gay pride?
The first gay pride was in 1970 in New York.
Why do we need a festival for queer people?
Pride events take place for many reasons. They raise awareness for inequality and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, which many people do not know still exist. They raise money for pride charities that fund events to change the law in the hope of ending discrimination. Plus, they’re super fun and create unforgettable memories for everyone, reminding us it’s okay to be who you are and encouraging those hiding to come out!
Are pets allowed?
There are no laws against taking your pets to pride. However, we greatly discourage it because a large amount of people can be scary to small animals. Also, if your dog runs off, it wouldn’t be fun finding them amongst a million people! It can be dangerous to bring your pet to pride.
How much does pride cost?
It doesn’t cost anything to see the pride parade!
